U.S. Senators, MH Advocates Among Recipients of American Psychiatric Excellence (APEX) Awards

APA today recognized five leaders in politics, journalism, and advocacy for drawing attention to the needs of people with mental illness and substance use disorders during the second American Psychiatric Excellence (APEX) Awards presentation in Washington, D.C.Honorees included Resident Commissioner Jenniffer Gonz ález-Colón (R-Puerto Rico; pictured at left with APA Assembly Speaker Theresa Miskimen, M.D.); Kathryn Farinholt, executive director of NAMI Maryland; U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii); U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.); and Eric Eyre, a reporter for theCharleston Gazette-Mail.As resident commissioner,Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon is the sole representative from Puerto Rico to Congress and helped secure $36.5 billion in disaster aid for the island in the wake of Hurricane Maria. “This money will be essential as communities clean up, rebuild, and work to recover both physically and mentally,” said Miskimen before presenting the award to González-Colón.Kathryn Farinholt helped develop the NAMI Family Support Group program, the “NAMI In Our Own Voice: Living With Mental Illness” training for NAMI representatives, and other signature NAMI programs.Sen. Brian Schatz co-sponsored the Expanding Capacity for Health Outcomes (ECHO) Act, which was enacted in 2016 to help expand telemedicine and telepsychiatry. He is also a lead sponsor of the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act, which is also des...
Source: Psychiatr News - Category: Psychiatry Tags: 2017 APEX Awards Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon (R.PR) Kathryn Farinholt NAMI Maryland; U.S. Brian Schatz (D-HI) reporter for the Charleston Gazette-Mail. U.S. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI); Eric Eyre Source Type: research